Queer Boost in US Elections

It was “off year” polling day in the USA, and there was a small but heartening leap forward in LGBT representation – including the “B”.

The big years in US politics are the even numbers – like last year’s Presidential contest, or next year’s “midterms”. But just as the UK has local elections every year whether or not they are accompanied by Parliamentary or Assembly votes, the US has elections in between too.

A bi trans woman of colour, Andrea Jenkins, was elected to Minneapolis city council with more than two thirds of the votes cast. Andrea was part of the 2016 delegation to the White House for its Bi Visibility Day meeting, and is the first trans person of colour elected to office anywhere in the US.

Meanwhile in North Virginia, Dancia Roem drew headlines through ousting a ‘bathroom bill’ champion and outspoken homophobe to become the first out-trans person elected as a state official anywhere in the country, as a member of Virginia’s House of Delegates. And in Seattle the city elected its first out-lesbian Mayor.

With other elections across the country swinging to the Democrats, and the clear divide on equality issues between America’s two main parties, there are a host of other local victories both for LGBT candidates and people of colour.